Informal consultations held in Donetsk, no talks considered - Donetsk leader

June 23, 2014, 22:49 UTC+3DONETSKFurther discussions, even in the format of informal consultations, could be possible only if Kiev ceased fire

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DONETSK, June 23, 22:23 /ITAR-TASS/. Informal preliminary consultations were held in Donetsk on Monday, June 23, but no talks are being considered, Alexander Borodai, the prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, said.

“There is no question of talks for two reasons: full-fledged negotiations as such can be possible only after Kiev has met seven conditions put forth by Oleg Tsarev, co-chair of the Novorossiya [New Russia] People’s Front. These conditions are our common position. The second reason is that the officials who came to Donetsk today had no official powers and status,” he said.

Kiev was represented by former President Leonid Kuchma.

At the same time, Borodai said “at least some dialogue has been started by Kiev which for several months preferred to speak in the language of heavy artillery”.

He said further discussions, even in the format of informal consultations, could be possible only if Kiev ceased fire and stopped the redeployment of its army and National Guard which threaten the Donbass militia.

Tsarev’s conditions include withdrawal of the Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, payment by Kiev of compensation to the people affected by the conflict, coordination by the Ukrainian president and the republics’ parliaments of a constitutional act that would determine their status, and amnesty for the militiamen and political prisoners.